Portsmouth's players will not be paid their monthly wages - in a massive new blow for the cash-strapped club.

Boss Michael Appleton had to break the shock news to the squad on Monday as the Fratton Park outfit faced up to an uncertain financial future.

The wages will not be paid until a bank account, frozen by the tax man, is cleared for use and Pompey will try to sort out that problem on Tuesday.

Portsmouth will also have to rely on their players wanting to risk their careers without any guarantee of pay while they try to sell some of them to get the cash to avoid a winding-up order that has hit the club's parent company.

The crisis really hit home when the squad found out that there is nothing going into their banks in the latest horror twist for the troubled club.

Pompey may now be forced to do quick deals as the club unravels. Ipswich boss Paul Jewell wants to push through a £1.5million-plus double swoop for versatile Joel Ward and centre half Jason Pearce.

Jewell is trying to agree a fee with Pompey's administrator. However senior officials have refused to sanction the move.

Meanwhile Fulham boss Martin Jol is set to sign Portsmouth's Australian starlet Ryan Williams in a £500,000 raid on the cash-strapped club.

Midfielder Williams was in talks at Craven Cottage yesterday and played for their reserves last night ahead of joining Jol's first-team squad as Pompey try to raise funds without harming their own squad.